SESSION 1: PSALM 119:1–16

Quick Start

Read Print Watch Take some time in advance Before meeting, make Make sure everyone can see to read and consider the enough copies of this the screen and the audio is at Bible study questions and session’s handout for your a comfortable level. come up with personal entire group. The handouts examples to encourage came with your download. discussion.

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When you think back on your childhood, what is something you memorized that you still haven’t forgotten? (ABCs, books of the Bible, multiplication tables, etc.)

What did you use to help with your memorization? (song, rhyme, anagram, etc.)

Odds are, you still remember this information today because you used something more than rote memory. There are all kinds of clever tools that help with retaining information we need to know. The same goes for the Bible and the chapter we will be studying together over the next ten weeks.

READ

Read Psalm 119:1—16.

VIEW

Show Session 1: Psalm 119:1—16 (8:45 minutes)

DISCUSS

How familiar are you with Psalm 119?

What from Matt’s session deepened your understanding of the background and content of the psalm?

Psalm 119 is an example of what is called an “alphabetic acrostic.” Each stanza—made up of 8 verses—begins each line with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For verses 1–8, every line begins with the letter “aleph,” the first letter in the Hebrew alphabet. For verses 9–16, every line begins with the letter “beth,” the second letter in the Hebrew alphabet. The psalm follows this structure for all twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This style of poetry was often utilized to help with effective memorization. Most English translations include headers above each 8-line stanza noting the Hebrew letter for that section.

SESSION 1: PSALM 119:1–16 2 Go Deeper Learn more about the meditative culture of Israel from the following passages: Deut. 6:4–9; 17:14–20 What did God command each of Israel’s future kings to do when they came to power (see Deut. 17:18–20)? (They were to make a personal copy of the Law approved by the priesthood in order to remember the Word of the Lord.) Who does Deuteronomy 6:4–9 address? (“Israel,” verse 1—in other words, everyone, whether it be the king or a normal citizen) When are they commanded to “teach” and “talk” about God’s Word? (Throughout the entirety of their days, at all opportunities they had) What do these passages indicate about the importance of repetition and remembrance for God’s people?

What are the two categories Matt splits verses 1–16 into? (He said verses 1–8 describe the blessed life while verses 9–16 express ’s desire to understand how to experience the blessed life.)

As Matt shared, many of us understand what God has called us to do, but we struggle with understanding how to fulfill the life He desires of us.

When you consider the phrase “blessed life” what comes to mind? What do you consider important elements of being blessed?

DUST OFF THE HEBREW

The term translated “blessed” in verses 1–2 comes from the Hebrew nounashray and can also be translated “happy” or “happiness” depending on the context (see 1 Kings 10:8; 2 Chron. 9:7). Literally, the opening verse of Psalm 119 reads, “[Oh] the happiness of those who are blameless of way.” The term is used regularly throughout the (1:1; 32:1; 40:5; 84:5; 106:3; 128:1; 144:15) and denotes more than simply a state of being blessed, but also the emotional quality that comes with knowing God and following His ways. David saw fit to open Psalm 119, which is focused on celebrating the value of God’s Word, by praising the blessed and happy life that comes from a commitment to the ways of the Lord.

If verses 1–8 describe the blessed life, what does David point out as marks of the blessed life?

Based on these verses, would you say you are living the blessed life today? Why or why not?

SESSION 1: PSALM 119:1–16 3 What does verse 1 identify as a foundation for those who are blessed? (Blamelessness)

Are you blameless before God in terms of the way you have lived? Have you kept His Word with your whole heart?

Of course, the answer to these questions is “no” for all of us. Matt confessed himself that if blamelessness is the standard for a blessed life, then we have all fallen short. Because of this, we all share the same struggle—knowing what is required, yet finding ourselves unable to fulfill that requirement. As a result, our temptation is to hide that difficulty in order to appear strong and put together rather than honestly sharing our weaknesses with one another.

Matt explained that the ongoing ethic of the Christian life is not to hide our doubts, sin, and fears, but to bring them to light before God and Christian community. How well do you practice this discipline?

What motivates you to project strength and sufficiency? What fears do you have when it comes to being honest about your struggles?

These first two stanzas make it clear that the blessed life begins with a seriousness about God’s Word. Verse 9 explains that we keep our ways pure when we live in accordance to His Word.

What does it mean to guard our ways according to God’s Word?

What are some practical ways you practice that in your life? What are some ways you could be even more intentional about living in light of God’s Word?

Matt described Psalm 119 as a shadow of what has come in the person and work of Jesus Christ. We do not gain the blessed life through works of our own, but through the finished work of Jesus Christ, which is credited to us by faith. A disciplined reading of God’s Word will ultimately lead us to the Word made flesh—Jesus.

SESSION 1: PSALM 119:1–16 4 Go Deeper Learn more about the blessing we receive through Jesus from the following passages: Matt. 5:3–10; John 5:39; 6:28–29; 2 Cor. 5:21

How does Jesus describe the “blessed life”? What similarities or differences do you see between the Beatitudes and Psalm 119?

How does John 5:39 describe the Word of God? (As a means to an end, namely, that of Jesus Christ)

What does Jesus define as “the work of God” in John 6:29? (“That you believe in him whom he has sent”)

According to 2 Corinthians 5:21, how do we become “the righteousness of God”? (Through the substitutionary death and Christ)

The “blessing” of God comes to us through faith in the perfect life, death, and resurrection of Jesus—not by any work of our own.

If we have any hope of growing in faith, we have to be honest about where we are today. As Matt shared, if blamelessness is a prerequisite for the blessed life, we have to acknowledge our guilt and surrender to the saving work of Jesus Christ.

What is holding you back from acknowledging the brokenness in your life?

What would change if you did?

When children first begin to walk, they will take a few steps and then inevitably fall. Nonetheless, loving parents pay little attention to their stumbles. Instead, they celebrate the steps, the progress of their child. Our Father in heaven sees us in the same way. He calls us to faithfulness and celebrates our steps in spite of our stumbles.

How should that truth about God’s character change the way you think about your own brokenness? In what ways does it encourage you toward greater boldness in confessing where you are weak?

LAST WORD

The only way we get anywhere in life is through an honest understanding of our starting point. This is just as true for road trips as it is for our relationship with Jesus Christ. He knows us better than we know ourselves so pretending to be something we are not is a futile effort.

SESSION 1: PSALM 119:1–16 5 Faith means trusting in the promises of God, which are yours through belief in Christ. One of those promises is that there is no more condemnation for those who have believed in the death and resurrection of Jesus (Rom. 8:1). Faith is acting on that promise, confessing where you are today, and allowing God to cleanse you and lead you step by step into new life with Him. Act on that truth today believing that God delights in you even when you stumble.

LIVE IT OUT

Pray: Set aside some time this week to pray and ask that God would give you an accurate view of yourself so that you can move forward in genuine confession and repentance.

Confess: If the Holy Spirit has convicted you of any sin you have not confessed in your life, seek out a trusted believer this week and bring it to light. Invite them to carry the burden with you and ask them to help you walk in freedom.

Memorize: Select 2–3 verses from the passage we studied this week that encourage you to practice regular confession and repentance. Commit them to memory and ask God to call them to mind for you in times when you are tempted to hide from the truth.

Accountability: In addition to knowing our starting point, part of moving forward is staying on the right path, which often requires the help of others. This week, reach out to 2–3 trusted believers and begin a conversation with them about forming an accountability group in order to meet together for the sake of staying on the right path in pursuit of Christ.

Journal: Sometime this week, sit down and write out the characteristics that marked your life before you met Christ. Then write about how your life has been transformed since surrendering to Christ. Read over your notes and praise God for His grace to you.

SESSION 1: PSALM 119:1–16 6